[QUOTE="Pug-Nasty"][QUOTE="ShadowDeathX"]
With Digital Distribution, there is no need for publishers.
Publishers don't just fund the pressing of data onto discs, they fund the entire development of games. A game released over a DD network still requires development, and still requires funding. The disc pressing is a marginal cost compared to the development.
There can be a developer and gamer direct relationship. 99% of games aren't even publisher backed, so that stat is false.
Obviously, I was using that percentage in reply to the other poster. I have no idea what percentage of games are publisher backed, but it is certainly a very large amount. The number probably shrinks as you broaden what types of games you include... flash, arcade, whatever, but a full game is expensive and risky, which is why publishers exist.
All publishers want to do is broaden the game to a bigger audience and pump out as many games as possible, profitabled of course. That kills developer traditions and inner-cultures. Less innovation in games, less compeition.
Publicly traded corporations exist solely to earn money for their investors. Any publicly traded entity has less freedom to take risks because risky behaviour causes investors to flee, which cause the company to shut down even if business is good.
ShadowDeathX
Publishers do fund the game, I agree. But if you take them out, developers will still be able to fund it themselves. All the profits of the game will be directed towards them as well. Not every developer can afford the tens of millions of dollars it takes to develop a modern game.
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